Four years ago, a friend peer pressured me to attend a cookie decorating class.  I spent nearly $75 in supplies and I was a tad excited.  I went in hopeful and left incredibly frustrated.  I had sat through a two hour class and learned nothing, except I was terrible at cookies.  The instructor was using big terms like "flood"and "pipe".  And, for someone who didn't even know what royal icing was, I was completely lost.  I came home with some so-so cookies and a ton of irritation.  I shoved the $75 worth of supplies in a cabinet and walked away.

A year passed and I could have cared less about cookies.  But, while planning an Alice in Wonderland party I stumbled on some cute tea pot cookies.  I pulled those supplies out, scoured youtube videos and was determined.  I made some sad teapots and clocks, but the difference this time was, I had enjoyed the process and I was hooked.  For months I watched tutorials, read blog articles and experimented.  March came and I wanted to try my hand at St. Patricks Day cookies.  I made less than a dozen, it took countless hours and I was ridiculously proud of myself.  I even posted them on my Facebook page feeling accomplished!

I now post those Leprechaun cookies proudly.  They are terrible to look at, but it reminds me how far I have come.  With determination, practice, research and lots of failures, I am proud of my journey. Every single cookie baker starts somewhere.  Not one single baker wakes up one day an amazing artist of baked goods.  We all start somewhere!  My goal was to always improve my craft.  I still read blog posts, I continue to watch tutorials and learn new methods.  Everyone can always accomplish more.  If you are just beginning on the journey of decorated cookies, don't give up!  Keep piping until you discover the right consistency.  Continue to sketch your cookies until you can finally envision what you want to create!  I gave up cookies after my first try at it, but I came back much more determined and ready!  Just keep flooding!